Fence-lock



(Model.)

' B' A' WBLDS.

FENCE LOCKl *MMM - LMM.'

Patented Oct. 16,1883.

wf We@ l '15 I'ully set forth and claimed;

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN A. WELDS, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

FENCE- LOCK.

SPECIFIOATICN forming` part ofA Letters Patent No. 286,752, dated October 16, 1883.

Application filed February 2, 1883. (Model.)

T @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that" 1, BENJAMIN A. WELDs, of Jackson, county of Jackson, and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvement in l Fence-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in worm rail-fences; and it consists in securing its rails together Aat each intersection by Wires, the wires being applied from the same side of the fence by stapling one end of each to a-,lower rail of thefence and the other end lto the second rail of thesame panel on the opposite side thereof, as will be hereinafter more In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification and shows my invention in perspective, A A represent the Sections of a rail-fence built up in the ordinary manner. To bind the corners securely together, one`end ofthe wire B is looped and y one of the top rails let down parallel with the fence, as shown at a. An ordinary fencevstaple is then driven through the looped end of the wire into the second rail from the top, near the corner of the upper end of the top rail and on the opposite side of the fence, as at b. The wire is then brought over the top rail, another staple driven into one of the lower rails, and the lower end of the wire B looped to the staple, when, by lifting the top'rail to its place on the fence, the corners are bound securely together. This binding being done at each of the intersecting corners, a solid and compact fence is constructed, which-will resist breachy stock and heavy winds. Should the fence settle to such an extent that the lock is not effective, it can readily and easily be rebound by letting the top rail down, as when `4o the lock was put on, and slipping the wire toward the long end of the rail on top, when, by putting the rail back to place, as tight and strong tension is given to the wire as when first put on.

I am aware that worm-fences have been locked at the corners by wire loops passed around the ends of the rails and wedges driven between the rails; and I am also aware that such wire loops have been tightened to clamp the `rails together by twisting their upper ends 5o with the top rails of the fence. The objections to the rst construction are, that it is difficult to take down and put up the section of the fence without special instruments, and the wedges have to be cut, making an additional expense, and to the second construction that the wire loop cannot be tightened excepting by taking the fence partially down; and the objection to my former patents numbered 220,892, October 21, 1879, and 237,220, Feb- V6o ruary 1, 1881, as well -as the two above-mentioned patents, is that they take more than as much again wire to obtain the same results that the single wire and staples do. This is also the only lock of the wire construction that '65 can be locked from one side of the fence. All the locks above referred to have to be locked from both sides of the fence at every alternate corner. By this device Inore than one-half of the material is saved, and one-half the labor 7o required to put up the former locks will put up the staple and wire lock. My invention overcomes former objections. p

' Having described my invention, what I claim ]S A worm rail-fence having its rails secured together at each intersection by wires D, the wires being all applied from the same side of the felice by stapling one end of each to a lower rail of the fence and the other end to the 8o second rail of the same panel on the oppo site side' thereof, substantially as shown and described. In testimony whereof I hereunto ,aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN A. WELDS. Witnesses:

O. D. WELDs, W. H. VAN HoRN. 

